Reading Response (numero dos.)

The author describes how he grew up to be Mexican American, but then later became “Anglocized.” He says “As much as we may try to become part of the main stream, there will always be someone or some event that will remind us of who we are and where we came from; it is usually just enough to cause most of us to stop and remember our heritage.”

I grew up to be Asian American, even though I’m half white/Anglo Saxon. I ate Chinese food, celebrated Chinese traditions; my first language was even Chinese. I’ve been with my other white family, but it doesn’t make me whiter or become “anglocized.” It actually makes me feel more Chinese than I already am. I’m not embarrassed for who I am, so I don’t plan on trying to lose my past, my language, or traditions. I’m American, Asian American, whichever, I’m perfectly fine with it.

I think this author sees Mexican American and American as two different things. Main stream was just Americans. But to me, Americans are American citizens or people born in America. Not the different ways we look, or act. I think for people to be just called Americans is for them to be a descendent from Europe (so white people).

This brings me to a quote from American Dreamer. “Why is it that hyphenation is imposed only on nonwhite Americans?”  Whenever I go on vacation, people always ask my dad “what are you?” My dad of course says “American.” However, when they talk to my mother, they always say “are you Chinese…where from Asia are you from?” She is Chinese, but she’s also an American citizen. So what exactly is an American? I was never really sure. 

King Still King?

There’s one day a year where people take off one day of work or school for the birth of Martin Luther King. Kids look forward to it because they get a day off of school, but is King’s hard work relevant to our present day society?

I say yes; King is still king.

Without him, Obama certainly wouldn’t be the president, schools wouldn’t be mixed with different ethnicities, people couldn’t sit where ever they wanted on a bus, and we would still have different water fountains. King proved that huge changes can be made without the use of a gun. However, I think we should view this day with more value, to realize how much has changed since he lived. In the far future, I believe this day will simply just be a day off, not to recognize someone for their hard work, or even to realize that King changed America. Maybe Americans will be so caught up in the new technology to even look at the small print on their calendars that says “Martin Luther King Jr. Day.” But King is still inspirational to many people and should always be. 

Reading Response

Children of the Sea

This short story was one of the best things I've read in class so far, and I wish it could've been longer than it was.  I liked it for a couple reasons, and one was that it was so real. People do not usually read about things that happened in the short story, like having to throw yourself overboard, or a group of soldiers raping a young teenager. People do not talk about the awful things that happen to people, and it was interesting when we did for class. I also liked the short story because it was like letters for the other person so the reader could understand both sides of what’s going on. 

There was a Child went Forth

I’m not saying this poem/story wasn’t good, but I didn’t like reading it. I don’t like many poems, like the poems that you have to focus on extremely hard on, or the poems that are filled with complicated words that you’re just too lazy to look up for every one of them. I know that’s what you’re supposed to do in school, that’s the point of reading the poem, but I don’t enjoy it. It took me forever to focus and actually pay attention to actually read it. But after I read it, it was pretty good. I liked how the poet went in detail about the child’s childhood and what the child grew up with, and how it became a part of the child as it grew up.

If I were to chose between the two stories, I would choose to read Children of the Sea.